7 Street Photography Composition Tips

Practical composition ideas for street photography:

1. Tilt and curve

2. Keep shooting

First photo shot inside a foot locker (shoe store), then second photo I took a step closer to fill the frame.

3. Hold the camera high in the air and point down

4. Leading lines

Follow your subjects, and keep shooting as they go different directions (like up stairs).

5. Crouch super low

Make your subjects look larger than life (Superman effect).

6. Subject leaving the frame

Do both — shoot while your subjects are entering the frame, and as they’re leaving the frame, and choose the one you prefer.

7. Layers, curve, arabesque

Shot while waiting in line. Cindy far right as the “bookend”, and other kids in line create an “arabesque”shape.

Composition 101

Master composition for yourself:

Photography Composition Concepts

Street Photography Composition Tips

Tokyo, 2017

Photography Composition Tips

Color Theory

Color wheel theory: Dynamic tension between opposing colors. Image from CREATIVE EVERY DAY

Learn From the Masters of Composition

Sergio Larrain Compositions

Dynamic Photography Composition 101

Leading lines. ERIC KIM DYNAMIC COMPOSITION

Painting Compositions

Vermeer

Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM

Composition Theory

Dynamic low angle composition. Tokyo, 2011 by ERIC KIM

Take your composition to the next level:

Street Photography Composition 101

DYNAMIC REFLECTIONS. Man and three reflections by ERIC KIM

For distilled lessons on composition, read the free ebook: “The Street Photography Composition Manual.”

Further articles to improve your compositions in photography:

Composition Theory

Woman and door. Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM

Learn compositional theory:

Compositional lessons from the masters of art

Composition lectures

Composition pictures/grids

Golden Diagonal Composition

Golden Diagonal Composition / Kyoto Station, 2018